Vitor Belfort recently spoke with MMAjunkie about his desire to fight the winner of this weekend's fight between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman at UFC 162. Check out the highlights:

On White saying a Silva/Belfort rematch is unlikely: "It's incredible how it seems as though Anderson is the one picking his opponents. My spot is the highest of any division contender in the UFC, and it is only logical and fair for me to be given a shot at the title. Why is it that I don't have a title shot? Just because one time, Anderson happened to land a kick? I can assure you that given a second chance, that would never happen again."

On Silva's stance that he doesn't want to fight Belfort based on their last bout: "I have proven myself over and over. It seems that Anderson wants to go on and do superfights or whatever, but how can he think of doing a superfight right now when he has a contender of my caliber waiting to compete for the belt? I have no problem with superfights, as long as they don't tie up the belt from other great contenders who deserve a chance to accomplish the greatest moments of their career. But nobody should be able to strip me of the dreams that God gave me and that I have worked so hard to achieve. It doesn't matter who is the champion or how many title defenses they have, they should fight the person who is the No. 1 contender in the sport, and that person is me. I really can't understand any reason why Anderson would refuse to fight me, unless he was scared that the result would be different this time."

On Silva: "I have no personal beef against Anderson or any other fighter. I'm just talking about every fighter's dream to win the belt – to fight for the world championship. That's what this business is all about. If Chris Weidman can get a title shot just by defeating Mark Munoz, imagine how much I deserve this after devastating everyone they put in front of me, not to mention all that I have contributed to the history of the sport. I deserve more respect for what I have done, am still doing, and am about to do. Come on – they even say that it makes more sense for Anderson to fight Dan Henderson? What a joke!"

On comparing a Silva rematch to Velasquez vs. JDS III: "Think about this: Cain got knocked out in a devastating loss to 'Cigano,' and after one fight he gets another title shot. Then after being massacred by Velasquez for five rounds, now 'Cigano' gets another chance for the title. In order for a rematch to take place, the champion must accept a challenge. Both Cigano and Velasquez accepted. But I, on the other hand, crushed all the contenders that were put in front of me, and it seems that I have earned nothing, not even the respect I deserve for all I have done for the sport."

Since losing to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in 2011, Vitor Belfort has won four of five fights and recently scored violent knockouts of contenders Michael Bisping and Luke Rockhold. But a rematch with the champ would be a hard sell, UFC President Dana White said.

More specifically, it'd be a hard sell to Silva (33-4 MMA, 16-0 UFC), assuming he gets by top contender Chris Weidman (9-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) on Saturday at UFC 162.

Belfort (23-10 MMA, 12-6 UFC), whose only recent loss came to light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones after the Brazilian moved up a weight class for a late-notice booking, has campaigned for a second shot at Silva. But when MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today asked White about the possibility, he sounded less than optimistic.

"He's looked great, but the hard position that Vitor is in is when you talk about a rematch for him, it's like, [Silva] kicked him in the face in the first 60 seconds in one of the most devestating knockouts of all-time," he said. "So when you go back to Anderson Silva, who's in the twilight of his career, and you say to a guy like Anderson, 'Eh, what about Vitor?' He'd say, 'I annihilated Vitor. I made it look like Vitor isn't even a fighter we should have been fighting.'"

Silva actually needed three minutes to finish that UFC 126 fight. However, after 90 seconds of inaction and then after eating a few punches, Silva unloaded a vicious front kick to the face that instantly sent Belfort to the canvas. White said that no matter what happens after a performance like that, it's tough to book a rematch, especially when so many other options are available for a kingpin like Silva.

"Those are tough fights to make," he said.

If Silva's 16-fight UFC win streak comes to an end in Saturday's pay-per-view headliner, he'll get an immediate rematch with Weidman. If victorious, he could very well end up fighting light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones or maybe welterweight titleholder Georges St-Pierre. White hasn't even closed the door on entertaining Silva's latest request: a boxing bout with Roy Jones Jr. (The boxer, in fact, will be one of White's guests at UFC 162, the executive said.)

"I'm not saying that's the case," he said. "I'm not saying Vitor couldn't get the next shot or couldn't get a shot soon, but if you're Anderson Silva, you're like, 'I'm looking for another challenge. I want to fight GSP. I want to fight Jon Jones or somebody different than Vitor Belfort.'

"You could make a better argument that Dan Henderson should get another shot."

However it shakes out, White said he's dreading the day when such discussions no longer happen. The 38-year-old Silva has only so many fights left, so regardless of whom he fights, we should appreciate the performances, White said.

"That day that comes when that man says he's going to retire, it's going to suck," he said. "It's literally like when Michael Jordan went away in basketball. ... You took it for granted right up until the time he left. I think it's going to be the same way with Anderson."

For the latest on UFC 162, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

Okay and here's my two bits. I don't know if Vitor can even fight for a title, but blaming the Kick KO is both weak and pathetic from Dana. This is the guy who stepped up to fight Jon Jones and actually put up a fight.

Now if Anderson wants to fight Jones or GSP great those are fights that have value over the number one contender. But it seems to me Vitor's done a hell of a job for the UFC and the UFC and MMA is selling him out.

Stun Gun

07-06-2013 02:57 AM

Well Belfort can be next in line for Weidman

ptw

07-06-2013 03:00 AM

Dana made the same argument I always make why another fight with Vitor is hard to sell. He annihilated Vitor the first time. Maybe he caught him off guard, maybe it could have happened to Anderson himself, maybe maybe maybe, the fact of the matter is Silva kicking Vitor's face in is one of the most famous and glorious knockouts in MMA history. Vitor needs one more win IMO to claim a title shot. He's made a good comeback I'll give him that. He almost took out Jones, and got some really nice KO's on bisping and rockhold, but I feel he needs one more win before he can start whining for a shot.

John8204

07-06-2013 03:17 AM

If not Vitor then who? Had Rockhold or Bisping won their fights they would number one contenders and facing Anderson Silva. So what does Vitor do...KO them with the spectacular style headkicks that knocked him out.

Stun Gun

07-06-2013 04:18 AM

Vitor makes the most sense honestly. But Dana wont need to worry about selling it to Silva. Weidman will beat TRT Belfort too

ptw

07-06-2013 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John8204
(Post 2144273)

If not Vitor then who? Had Rockhold or Bisping won their fights they would number one contenders and facing Anderson Silva. So what does Vitor do...KO them with the spectacular style headkicks that knocked him out.

There's lots of options. Rashad could make a pretty penny if he decides to drop down and challenge Silva, there's also Mousasi and Jacare who are only a win away from a title shot as well.

Stun Gun

07-06-2013 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ptw
(Post 2144297)

There's lots of options. Rashad could make a pretty penny if he decides to drop down and challenge Silva, there's also Mousasi and Jacare who are only a win away from a title shot as well.

Jacare is not getting passed Okami

osmium

07-06-2013 04:32 AM

Vitor didn't put up a fight against Bones he caught him in an armbar once and did nothing but get beaten on for the rest of the fight. As PTW said there are plenty of new fights for him right now at MW as well as those two super fights.

halifaxdonair

07-06-2013 04:44 AM

Okami deserves a rematch. he has a 3 fight win streak against slightly worse competition than Belfort and is also best remembered for being kicked in the head by Silva.

Belfort vs Okami title eliminator?

Stun Gun

07-06-2013 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osmium
(Post 2144313)

Vitor didn't put up a fight against Bones he caught him in an armbar once and did nothing but get beaten on for the rest of the fight. As PTW said there are plenty of new fights for him right now at MW as well as those two super fights.

Yeah Vitor was completely outclassed in that Jones fight. Props to him taking the fight, and props to him to beating Rockhold and Bisping, but I think both guys would win a rematch. and Silva kills Vitor again